Formed in 1981 by two Rockford, Illinois and two Brookfield, Wisconsin natives in the midpoint of Milwaukee, Die Kreuzen (pronounced dee kroytzen) chose their name specifically to avoid stereotyping because âno one knows what it means.â The band combined early hardcore with heavy metal leanings. âDie Kreuzenâ roughly translates out of German meaning âto intersectâ or âto hybridize,â which is exactly what they did on their five LPâs for Touch and Go. Remember that flannel shirt movement in the 90's? Yeah. This is what those guys were listening to.